Tag: white whole wheat flour
Spiced Chocolate Banana Bread
I thought I would do a week of different desserts….
- 1¼ cups unbleached white whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon clove powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
- 1 cup turbinado sugar
- 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup milk or dark chocolate, chips or grated
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and nutmeg into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9X5X3 inches loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled), and remove the bowl from the mixer.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate pieces and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes before taking it out. Cool completely before serving.
Cider Duffins
- ¾ cup raw sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup fine raw sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Lightly grease a 12 muffin tin with a bit of oil in each cup.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar and egg till light and fluffy. Pour in vegetable oil, cider and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour into the egg mixture and stir well.
Divide batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling about ½ full.
Bake for 15 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
While muffins are baking, melt butter in a small bowl. Pour ½ cup sugar and cinnamon into another small bowl and mix well.
Once the muffins are done, lightly brush the top with melted butter, remove from the pan and roll in the cinnamon sugar, coating all parts of the duffin.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with Green Mini Cupcakes
My daughter’s class is having a mini celebration for St. Patrick’s day with green bagels, green grapes and green juice. As I was volunteering to send some Irish butter, my daughter expressed her disappointment about not having some green cupcakes for St. Patty’s day. So, of course as a responsible (and gullible) Mom, I volunteered to bake some. She was overjoyed as we decided to check with the teacher first.
Once we found out it was a go- I started looking at recipes online. There was one in Martha Stewart’s site that looked good. I decided on making the mini ones- no reason for 23 kids to be running around with tons of sugar in their bodies.
The recipe was enough to make two batches of 24 mini cupcakes. I didn’t have two of the same 24 cupcake pans so I decided to make 24 mini and 6 regular sized cupcakes. That way the two teachers can have regular sized ones. I used my usual white whole wheat flour, evaporated cane sugar and extra light olive oil. If you want to use butter instead- one cup is equivalent to 2 sticks. I also added zest of a Meyer lemon to give the cupcakes some extra flavor. If you don’t have a Meyer lemon, use a lemon or an orange instead. The frosting was delicious with cream cheese, vanilla extract and the butter- yes, I used butter in here- there is really no substitute for it in frosting. Overall the cupcakes looked beautiful with the bright green sugar on top.
St. Patrick’s Day reminds me of my all time favorite vacation to Ireland. It is the most beautiful country with super friendly people I have ever been to. We flew into Shannon and stayed in a beautiful town called Dingle. It is a gorgeous little town that has the most amazing restaurants and vistas. We ate amazing food and for someone who is not a beer gal, I drank it with every meal. I feel the urge to go back every year around this time as I hear tourism ads on the radio to Ireland and feel the weather changing.
I guess I will look at the green cupcakes and think of the gorgeous landscape in the beautiful country, Ireland. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you!!!
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Amaretto Cherry Brownies
Delicious brownies for Valentines Day…
This is yet another version of the quick brownies I have made in the past. I don’t make them very often as this treat has two cups of sugar. Even though I use turbinado sugar, it is still a lot.
Once in a while I do get in the mood and make them- they are very sinful. I modified them by using dried, tart cherries. As I was thinking of complementing flavors, amaretto and almonds came to mind. So, I added both to the mix- why not- the more the merrier.
I thought of adding toasted almonds but then I wasn’t sure if anyone who might be eating the brownies is allergic to them- so I avoided them. I do think they will be delicious with the nuts.
While the brownie pan was in the oven, the house smelled divine. My daughter came back from school and her nose lead her to the kitchen and like a little puppy, she sniffed her way to the brownies.
I wasn’t sure if she will like the treat with tart cherries and the almond flavor- but she clearly had no problem . She loved it and so did my husband. I have to say, they were delicious- a bit dangerous to have in the house. I kept munching on them all day and it is especially bad for me since I am in the kitchen practically the whole day- it was not good.
The good news is they are delicious- the bad news is they are delicious and you will eat them all…
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Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Swirl
I can use just one word to describe this dessert- delicious!
My daughter and were going to a friend’s house for dinner. I was quite tired from a hectic week but wanted to take a dessert with us. I wasn’t in the mood to buy anything from a store- I wanted something homemade. I started to think of something that will be quick and easy yet perfectly suitable for an after dinner treat.
Brownies came to mind. I don’t make them that often- I am not a big chocolate person. I usually look for desserts with fruit or caramel. Flan, according to me is the be all end all dessert… I love it.
Anyway, so while I was trying to come up with a dessert, I thought of making brownies- but a bit differently. I looked in my fridge and found raspberry jam- perfect! I made the brownies like I normally do, but this time I used extra light olive oil instead of butter- so they are even healthier. I poured the batter into the prepared pan and then swirled some melted raspberry jam.
I also drizzled some white chocolate ganache on top once the brownies cooled down a bit- it’s completely optional since I didn’t notice a big difference with the ganache on top. I did notice the raspberry swirl inside the treat though. It was absolutely delicious. The brownies were light yet had a dense chocolate taste. The raspberry flavor goes so well with chocolate- a match made in heaven.
My daughter thought they were the best brownies she had ever had. I toasted some for my husband topped with some french vanilla ice cream.
I have to say- this one was a big success. Perfect to make for the busy holiday season!
- 2 cups evaporated cane juice
- 1 cup extra light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam, melted
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Butter an 8X8-baking pan.
In a large bowl, blend the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract well. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Slowly add the dry ingredients mixing well in between. Pour the batter into the pan. Pour the raspberry jam all over the top and spread it through the cake with a butter knife. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes if you like gooey brownies- a few minutes more if you like them more cake-like.
Creamed Spinach
I love the creamed spinach served at steak houses. The leafy green goes perfectly well with red meat- especially cooked with lots of butter and cream. I guess anything cooked with lots of butter and cream is delicious.
My problem- the red meat already has lots of calories and when you pair a calorie laden dish like creamed spinach- it results in a very heavy meal- oh, and what about the potatoes and the wine… a lot of calories.
So, this is my take on creamed spinach. I usually make it simply by sauteing garlic with spinach. I add a bit of half and half- which has less calories than cream but still adds substantial creaminess to the dish.
I started this dish by making a white or bechamel sauce. I sauteed some flour and olive oil. I added onion and garlic and then some milk. This was a start to a very aromatic, creamy sauce. I added frozen, chopped spinach and cooked it till the excess moisture is cooked away.
The dish was delicious- with not a lot of calories. It has one tablespoon of olive oil and a third of a cup of half and half. Not bad considering it served 5 people. The taste was not compromised at all- in fact it tasted really good with the lamb and the potatoes.
Try this creamed spinach next time you are looking for a healthy side dish…
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Apple Orange Duffins
Here is another version of one of our favorite treats in our house. My daughter can’t get enough of these and asks me to make them all the time. Her favorite are the jelly filled ones but she will eat any kind I make.
For these particular ones, I decided to do a yummy filling in the middle with apples and oranges. It is amazing how well the two flavors complement each other. I zested and juiced a navel orange and used the zest for the actual batter and the juice for the filling. I cut up my favorite apples- pink lady into chunks and added some sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest. I let the mixture sit for a while for the flavors to marinate.
I then made the usual batter and added just a bit of the filling in the middle of each duffin. Of course I coated them with the yummy sugar mixture and they were a hit. My daughter loved them.
Try the apple orange duffins- they are delicious.
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